Fighting the Tears: Whitepaw's Story
by Darknight of WoodClan
Summary: TNP told from Whitepaw's point of view. The cat she cares about loves someone else. Her training has lasted much too long. Life is harder than in looks for one particular ThunderClan apprentice.
1. Prolouge

"Come on, come on! Breathe!" the medicine cat cried, her tongue rasping over the limp form of a tiny kit. Only a fox-length away, a ginger-and-white she-cat stared wide-eyed at the small, gray medicine cat out of her one good eye.

Finally, the medicine cat stopped with a small sigh, her eyes clouding with sorrow. "I'm sorry, Brightheart, I couldn't save him…" She looked remorsefully up at the queen.

"It's alright Cinderpelt," the badly-scarred queen said in a quiet voice, looking down at her paws. "Yellowkit is with StarClan now."

The two were silent a moment.

"How is Whitekit?" Cinderpelt asked after a moment, giving her sister a careful look.

"She seems fine," Brightheart said softly. "Cloudtail and I think she might open her eyes soon." There was another pause. "I should probably get back to her now. I left her with Sandstorm and her kits."

Cinderpelt nodded. "I'll go tell Firestar and Cloudtail. I'll look over Whitekit later when I come to check up on Spiderkit."

The queen touched her nose to her sister's shoulder and slipped from the den.

Cinderpelt sighed again and took Yellowkit's body off to be buried.


	2. Ceremony

Brightheart leaned down to lick a patch of dust from her daughter's fluffy, white fur. Whitekit's eyes flew excitedly around the camp as the rest of the Clan came trotting to the leader's call. Whitekit's tail flicked happily as she recognized her father come quickly from the warriors' den.

"Cloudtail, it's now! I'm gonna be an apprentice now!" Whitekit cried, running to his side.

"Is that so?" he replied, his blue eyes shining with pride. "Did he say who your mentor would be?"

Whitekit, unsure, looked back to her mother.

"Brackenfur," the queen explained, smiling. Cloudtail nodded approvingly. They all turned towards the Highrock as Firestar cleared his throat to speak.

"StarClan has greatly blessed us these past few seasons," the dark ginger tom began. "Many litters of kits were born to ThunderClan and we again take part in a ceremony laid down by our ancestors." He paused. "Whitekit, step forward."

Brightheart gave her daughter a lick on the head, then nudged her forward. Whitekit took a tenacious step and trotted forward. She stopped a fox-length from the Highrock and gazed up at Firestar with awe.

"StarClan, look down on this kit. As she reaches her sixth moon and begins her training to become a warrior, may you grant her many lessons and days of learning. From now on, until she receives her warrior name, this apprentice shall be known at Whitepaw."

The newly-named Whitepaw beamed; she loved the name already.

"Brackenfur," Firestar continued, "you shall mentor Whitepaw. You are a wise, patient warrior. I trust you shall pass this on to your new apprentice."

Cloudtail and Brightheart were amoung the first to take up the chant of "Whitepaw!" as their daughter stepped forward and touched noses with the golden tabby Brackenfur.

Firestar smiled and leapt down to join his Clan in congratulating the pair.


	3. Anger

Not even a moon had passed.

"No, not like that, bend your legs more and put your weight on your back paws," Brackenfur corrected patiently. He had turned out to be the perfect mentor to Whitepaw, as she was continuously messing up. Cloudtail said it would pass in time, but Whitepaw wasn't so sure.

She bent her legs, but wasn't paying that much attention as she strained her ears to hear what Thornclaw was saying to Shrewpaw.

"Good, good. Now, see if you can counter this!" The two were practicing defensive moves, which was still far ahead of where Whitepaw was.

An angry cry blocked out what Thornclaw said next. Mousefur, who was training with her apprentice Spiderpaw, lashed her tail impatiently. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay back until you see an opening?!" the senior warrior growled at her dark-furred apprentice.

"Whitepaw," Brackenfur said scoldingly, "if you can't pay attention, then perhaps you should spend the rest of the afternoon hunting for the elders."

Whitepaw bent her head, ashamed. "Yes, Brackenfur."

"Send Spiderpaw with her," Mousefur exclaimed, coming over. "Perhaps hunting for the cranky elders will teach him to listen!"

Brackenfur nodded and the two mentors slipped off in the direction of camp.

"None of the elders are as cranky as Mousefur," Spiderpaw said quietly once they'd gone.

Whitepaw stared at him, wide-eyed and shocked that he would say something like that about his own mentor.

"I was only kidding," he mumbled. With his amber eyes on his paws, he asked, "Where should we start?"

"Er, Sunningrocks, I think. Frostfur's been wanting a vole," she said uncertainly.

Spiderpaw nodded and stepped into the lead, while Whitepaw followed behind in silence.

Whitepaw sighed quietly as she followed Spiderpaw into camp, laden with prey. She jumped as Dustpelt, a prickly tabby warrior, sprang up next to her.

"Have you seen Squirrelpaw? Was she with you?" he demanded.

"No, Dustpelt," Spiderpaw answered for her. "I haven't seen her since we left this morning for training."

Dustpelt grunted and stalked off.

"Come on," Spiderpaw said gently, leading the way across camp to the elders' den.

When the left the elders a short while later, Dustpelt was pacing outside the apprentices' den. Whitepaw just watched him, her head moving back and forth as he did. Unfortunately, he noticed her after a few moments.

"What are you looking at?" he spat. Whitepaw quickly looked away, wincing.

"Come," Spiderpaw nudged her, "before he bites our tails off." They both slipped into their den, Whitepaw sitting just inside the entrance to watch Dustpelt some more. Spiderpaw curled up in his nest, but eventually gave up on his sleep with all the noise Dustpelt was making and came to join her.

When Squirrelpaw finally came into camp with Ashfur, Thornclaw, and Brambleclaw, Dustpelt proceeded to shout his lungs out at her. Whitepaw watched this too, vaguely thinking that this was far more interesting than watching the tabby warrior pace.

After Squirrelpaw had been sent off to pick ticks from the elders' fur and Dustpelt had slipped into the nursery to see his mate Ferncloud and their kits, Whitepaw stayed watching the camp. She watched Firestar return with several warriors and Thornclaw come running to tell him about a badger that had nearly eaten Squirrelpaw. Spiderpaw had gone to lay in his nest again, but she could tell by his constant movement that he wasn't asleep yet.

Shrewpaw came into camp a few moments later, carrying a large amount of prey. Firestar nodded approvingly and said in a proud voice, "Well done." Shrewpaw beamed.

Whitepaw must have dozed because, the next thing she realized, Shrewpaw was slipping past her into the den. Judging by the scents on him, he'd just finished eating with Squirrelpaw.

When he noticed her awake, Shrewpaw exclaimed, "Dustpelt was so unreasonable, giving Squirrelpaw all that work!" His tail lashed furiously.

"She deserved it," Spiderpaw muttered groggily from where he lay. "We all did what we were told and did our training. How is it unfair that she got punished for not listening and worrying the entire camp?"

"Are you saying you wouldn't have done the same if your mentor didn't take you on a patrol for moons, then made you sit around waiting for him when you could be helping out?" he growled at his brother.

"She went on a patrol a few dawns ago," Whitepaw commented over her shoulder at the two toms.

Shrewpaw opened his mouth to reply, but obviously thought better of it. "I have to go. Thornclaw and I are going to the Gathering." He drew himself up tall and gave his brother a sharp, triumphant look. Spiderpaw merely shrugged. Flicking his tail angrily, Shrewpaw slipped back out of the den.

"Don't mind him," Spiderpaw mumbled to Whitepaw through a yawn. "He's obsessed."


End file.
